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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27553114">Midnight</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Popcan/pseuds/Popcan'>Popcan</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>FFXIV, Final Fantasy, Final Fantasy XIV</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Drinking &amp; Talking, F/M, Final Fantasy XIV - Freeform, Slow Burn, Stormblood, just kiss, they're both idiots who haven't confessed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 03:22:08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,043</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27553114</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Popcan/pseuds/Popcan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Lord Hien and Warrior of Light Kirishimi share drinks at the House of the Fierce before reclaiming Doma.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hien Rijin &amp; Warrior of Light, Hien Rijin x wol, Hien Rijin/Original Character(s), Hien Rijin/Warrior of Light, hien x warrior of light</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Final Fantasy XIV - Hien Rijin x WoL Recommendations</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Midnight</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Set a few days before they flood Doma Castle. Some time has passed since Hien was found at Azem Steppes and returned to the House of the Fierce; time in which he and Kiri spend getting to know each other better while working together. </p><p>Word Count: 1043<br/>Hien x Kiri<br/>Stormblood MSQ</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Midnight and all was quiet throughout the House of the Fierce. Only the change of patrol accompanied the prince and the dragoon that evening. Alphinaud, Alisaie, Lyse, and Yugiri had retired early after a particularly trying day of scouting and strategics. While Gosetsu had tried to stay up and partake in sake drinking with Hien and Kiri, he made the decision to leave the two unsupervised, retiring himself to start fresh in the morning. </p><p>Nearly a whole bottle shared between them emptied in one evening of shared laughter and animated story telling. At some point after Gosetsu dismissed himself they had spilled from the table to the floor, a chance to stretch and lounge. </p><p>Careful not to spill what little remained, Hien poured himself another cup while moving to sit with his back to her, as she had requested upon finishing her own drink. “Pray tell, what is it you intend to do?” </p><p>His whimsical chuckle while he resigned to his fate was contagious. Kiri could scarcely control her own laugh that spilled from her lips and filled the room. “Worry not, dear prince, you’ll not find a blade in your back tonight.” </p><p>“With as many cups as you’ve had, surely you’d miss regardless.” Another chuckle rumbled in his chest, the expanse of his shoulders shaking with his jest. </p><p>Kiri moved herself closer, until she could feel the warmth of his body and smell the sake in his cup. She should have given a retort, a reply of any sort even if it meant making a face or roll of her mismatched eyes at his teasing, but instead she found herself too focused to bother. Instead she leaned forward and swept her fingers through his raven hair. </p><p>Hien hummed softly in response. He placed his cup at his side in favor of leaning back on his hands for her. “Do as you wish.” </p><p>“You’ve so much hair,” Kiri announced while dragging her fingertips gently through it. </p><p>She was briefly reminded of her own disheveled mess of snowy hair when she had been a child. Lynawyb would spend countless hours taking scissors and an army of combs to it every evening. Eventually it had become too much for the rambunctious child to bear and with Eyriwolk’s stolen pocket knife in her hand, Kiri had taken it upon herself to cut it all. Her adoptive parents were left speechless the next day; their creature of moonlight hair had a face after all! </p><p>But where her hair had been disastrous to tend to, tangled in seaweed and sticks as it often was, Hien’s had been soft. Like running her fingers through threads of silk. “How do ya’ manage to brush it all?” </p><p>He sipped his sake. “Typically with a comb.” </p><p>The dragoon wheezed. </p><p>As they delighted in another fit of drunken laughter, Hien reached for the ribbon that kept his hair up. The knot came undone easily enough, his hair falling across broad shoulders. “Your hand, please.” </p><p>Kiri arched a brow but found herself too curious to question his intention. She leaned forward, extending her hand and resting her chin on his shoulder. </p><p>A gentle touch, his hands taking hers for a moment before tying the ribbon around her wrist. A simple strip of sunset orange and scarlet fabric. She wouldn’t  have thought much of the hair accessory if not for the the tenderness in his deft hands as he affixed to her. He slowly pulled it taught, having artfully created a small bow. </p><p>Curious eyes lifted away from her held hand and instead turned to study his expression. His cheeks rosy with sake, near golden eyes warm like a candle light, and a distant, happy smile on his lips. Kiri couldn’t help but admire him in this gentleness. An almost vulnerable state. </p><p>“‘Twas my mothers.” He started, a murmur that only she could hear. His calloused fingertips traced the fine line where ribbon met skin. “Silly to think that I’ve held on to it this long.” </p><p>An echo of a laugh left his lips that had her pulling herself closer. Any other day of the week, such closeness would have never been allowed, but perhaps the sake was partially to blame for this new desire to be close to another. So close was her cheek to his that she could scarcely feel his beard tickling her. </p><p>“It’s lovely.” The words felt foreign on her tongue. Certainly she had never been the type to fawn over accessories before. But in this case, it truly was a lovely thing. A memento. It was so plain to see on the prince that he treasured it deeply, regardless of the fact that millions of other scraps of cloth could easily replace it. But the memories it held would be lost. The meaning behind it could never be remade. </p><p>“Aye, it is-” Hien turned toward her but faltered abruptly. The earthy tones of his eyes met hers, so close to one another that she could smell the sweetness of sake on his breath. A blossom of color spread as if wildfire across the apex of his cheeks. </p><p>Kiri felt a heat spreading across her own features while her heart began to flutter as though a hummingbird had taken roost in her chest. What did he see there in her miscolored eyes of crimson and sapphire? Perhaps the way the light caught and shimmered in her eyes, the way it did in his? </p><p>“…Hien…?” </p><p>When his lips curved to make up the familiar, bubbly smile he often wore, Hien tore himself from her with a laugh. “I’ve only just noticed you have freckles!” </p><p>His hand slipped from hers, instead reaching for his misplaced cup to sip from. Taking it as a sign, she too pulled away from him with her cheeks puffed from his teasing. “Oi, got somethin’ against freckles?” </p><p>She returned to her previous endeavor while Hien chuckled into his cup, splitting his raven hair into three sections in an attempt to braid it. </p><p>Hien hummed again, leaning back for her. “Not at all. They’re lovely. Cute in fact-” His sentence was cut short as Kiri gave his hair a yank. “Ah! It was but a compliment.” </p><p>The evening continued on; filled with musical laughter, sweet drink, and good company.</p>
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